Simple, no-cost ways to keep daily hip pain from controlling your life.
Reviewed: January 17, 2014
When you have daily pain in your hip from arthritis (the loss of protective cushioning in the joint) or bursitis (inflammation of the joint lining), it can make doing everything from walking to climbing stairs to bending over a chore. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 10 things you can do to better manage your hip pain.
168Start Your Day With Exercise
Doing the bridge exercise in the morning gets your muscles working, activated, and engaged and will help support you the rest of the day, says Humphrey. Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Press down through your ankles and raise your buttocks off the floor while you tighten your abdominal muscles. Keep your knees aligned with your ankles and aim for a straight line from knees to shoulders, being sure not to arch your back; hold this position for three to five seconds and then slowly lower your buttocks back to the floor. Start with one set of 10 and build up to two or three sets.
169Cool Inflammation With Ice
Icing a joint that’s inflamed because of arthritis or bursitis can lower inflammation and help with hip pain. “If it’s very painful, I sometimes tell patients to ice four or five times daily for about 10 to 15 minutes,” says Amy Humphrey, DPT, a physical therapist at Body Dynamics, Inc. in Arlington, Va. Use an ice pack, wrap a towel around it, and put it where you feel the pain.
170Use Heat for Arthritis
Warming up an arthritic hip joint with a hot shower or bath can soothe your joint. Don't use heat, however, if your hip pain is caused by bursitis, Humphrey says, because it can make this type of inflammation worse.
171Stretch to Relieve Bursitis
Stretching the hip muscles that sit on top of the bursae, part of the lining in your hip joint, can give you some relief from bursitis pain. Kneel on the leg that's giving you the pain, holding on to something sturdy for balance. Tilt your pelvis forward, tightening your gluteus muscles (the muscles in your buttocks). Then lean away from the side of your hip that hurts, for instance to the left if you're kneeling on your right knee. You should feel a stretch from the top of your hip bone down the side of your leg to your knee, Humphrey says. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat once or twice.
172Strengthen Inner Thighs
This is another muscle group that helps support your hips. Lie on your back and put a ball between your knees and squeeze, Humphrey explains. Choose a ball about the size of a kickball and one that has a little give when you squeeze it. A hard pillow or a Pilates ring will also work. Start with one set of 10 repetitions and build up to three sets.
173Strengthen Outer Thighs
If you have hip arthritis, work on building up the muscles in your outer thigh for added support. Lie on your pain-free side and lift the leg with arthritis up about six inches, hold for two or three seconds, and lower it again, Humphrey says. Start with one set of 10 repetitions and build up to three sets. Repeat on the other side unless it is too painful. This exercise can aggravate your symptoms if you have hip pain from bursitis.
Swimming and water aerobics are wonderful exercises for your hip joints. Exercising in water allows you to strengthen your muscles without putting as much stress and pressure on your joints, Humphrey says.
175
Avoid High-Impact Activities
Running and jumping can make hip pain from arthritis and bursitis worse, so it’s best to avoid them. Walking is a better choice, advises Humphrey.
176Lose Weight for Arthritis Relief
If you have osteoarthritis in your hip, the type of arthritis that results from wear and tear of the cartilage in your joint, losing even a few pounds can help offset pressure on the joint and relieve hip pain.
If you have arthritis or bursitis, you’ve probably noticed that exercise can actually help relieve your pain. But when is hip pain a sign that you should stop exercising or doing a certain activity? If your hip starts to hurt during a particular exercise and lingers for hours or days afterward, that’s a sign that your joint needs to rest, notes Humphrey. It’s normal to feel some soreness the day after exercising, but the pain shouldn’t persist or become worse. Also, if you experience a sharp or shooting pain, stop the activity immediately and talk to your doctor or physical therapist.